1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to beverage cooling devices and more particularly pertains to a new contained beverage cooling apparatus for cooling and keeping cool a beverage placed in the apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of beverage cooling devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, beverage cooling devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,720,171; 5,421,159; 4,320,626; 4,823,554; 5,924,289; 4,782,670; 5,060,479; 5,301,508; 4,914,920; 3,808,825; 3,402,561; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 332,887; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 338,050.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new contained beverage cooling apparatus. The inventive device includes a housing. The housing has a bottom wall and a top wall. A peripheral side wall extends between and is integrally coupled to a periphery of the top and bottom walls. The housing has a front side and a back side. The top wall has a hole therein for receiving a cylindrical can or cup. The hole is positioned generally adjacent to the front side of the housing. A cooling means for cooling a beverage placed in the hole includes a duct. The duct has an open first end and an open second end. The duct is positioned in a spaced relationship with the top wall such that the second end extends away from the back side of the housing. A first heat sink is securely attached to an interior of the top wall. A second heat sink is securely mounted to an interior surface of the duct. A thermo-electric device is positioned between the duct and the top wall. The thermo-electric device extends through the duct and the top wall such that the thermo-electric device is abutted against the first and second heat sinks. A fan means disperses air across the first and second heat sinks.
In these respects, the contained beverage cooling apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of cooling and keeping cool a beverage placed in the apparatus.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of beverage cooling devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new contained beverage cooling apparatus construction wherein the same can be utilized for cooling and keeping cool a beverage placed in the apparatus.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the beverage cooling devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new contained beverage cooling apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art beverage cooling devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing. The housing has a bottom wall and a top wall. A peripheral side wall extends between and is integrally coupled to a periphery of the top and bottom walls. The housing has a front side and a back side. The top wall has a hole therein for receiving a cylindrical can or cup. The hole is positioned generally adjacent to the front side of the housing. A cooling means for cooling a beverage placed in the hole includes a duct. The duct has an open first end and an open second end. The duct is positioned in a spaced relationship with the top wall such that the second end extends away from the back side of the housing. A first heat sink is securely attached to an interior of the top wall. A second heat sink is securely mounted to an interior surface of the duct. A thermo-electric device is positioned between the duct and the top wall. The thermo-electric device extends through the duct and the top wall such that the thermo-electric device is abutted against the first and second heat sinks. A fan means disperses air across the first and second heat sinks.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the beverage cooling devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new contained beverage cooling apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art beverage cooling devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such contained beverage cooling apparatus economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus for cooling and keeping cool a beverage placed in the apparatus.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus which includes a housing. The housing has a bottom wall and a top wall. A peripheral side wall extends between and is integrally coupled to a periphery of the top and bottom walls. The housing has a front side and a back side. The top wall has a hole therein for receiving a cylindrical can or cup. The hole is positioned generally adjacent to the front side of the housing. A cooling means for cooling a beverage placed in the hole includes a duct. The duct has an open first end and an open second end. The duct is positioned in a spaced relationship with the top wall such that the second end extends away from the back side of the housing. A first heat sink is securely attached to an interior of the top wall. A second heat sink is securely mounted to an interior surface of the duct. A thermo-electric device is positioned between the duct and the top wall. The thermo-electric device extends through the duct and the top wall such that the thermo-electric device is abutted against the first and second heat sinks. A fan means disperses air across the first and second heat sinks.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus that is retrofittably mountable to the front console of a vehicle.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new contained beverage cooling apparatus that has a container therein for controlling the flow of air current around a cup placed in the container.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.